Evaluation of gadopentetate dimeglumine magnetic resonance cisternography in an animal model - Preliminary report

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES. TO evaluate magnetic resonance (MR) imaging chara cteristics of the cisternal administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine (ga dolinium) in a small experimental animal. METHODS. Four female New Zealand White rabbits were used for this experimen t. Each rabbit received a single dose of intrathecal gadolinium (doses rang ed from 75-100 umol) via a cisternal puncture, Immediate and delayed sagitt al and axial T1-weighted images of the brain and cervical spinal cord were acquired on a 2 Tesla CSI magnet. RESULTS. All the rabbits tolerated the experiment well, without significant alterations in behavior or seizure activity. During the early phase of ima ging, subarachnoid space enhancement was observed over the surface of the b rain parenchyma and spinal cord on T1-weighted images. Gradual diffusion of the gadolinium into the cranial parenchyma was seen on the delayed MR stud ies (45 minutes-6 hours), as revealed by progressive generalized enhancemen t of the brain. Sustained enhancement of gray matter of the spinal cord was observed. CONCLUSION. This study illustrates that there is no barrier between the cer ebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the brain-spinal cord with regard to gadolinium, Possible practical applications for gadolinium-enhanced MR myelography or cisternography include the assessment of communication or obstruction of CS F pathways, subarachnoid space CSF flow pattern analysis, spontaneous or ac quired CSF fistula evaluation, evaluation of the intercommunication of cent ral nervous system cystic structures bordering on CSF pathways, and the stu dy of the dynamics of gadolinium diffusion in the central nervous system pa renchyma.